Shades of Color
by SacredRoseDream
Summary: Itachi X Sakura. Sometimes the picture is stark, promising dread, or sometimes bright with the promise of joy, but it is the shades of color that paint life which can completely change the trajectory of our fate. This is the story of Uchiha Itachi.
1. Part One: Akatsuki

_**Greetings everyone I hope you like this story. I felt that Itachi was a character who's story really needed to be told. In Naruto some of his reasoning is explained, but I didn't feel it was enough. There wasn't something that really showed how he became who he became and I wanted to do something about that.**_

_**This first part is an introduction to this section of the story. Please don't skip over this introduction or those that will follow it in the future, each of the songs were chosen for a specific reason and are meaningful to the story.**_

_**Now this one will be and Itachi X Sakura fic, as of the moment I am not sure if there will be lemons although some citrus is definite.**_

**Summary:**_**Life is a kaledescope, and every person sees something different in it's depths. Sometimes the picture is stark, promising dread, or sometimes bright with the promise of joy, but it is the shades of color that paint life which can completely change the trajectory of our fate. **_

_This is the story of Uchiha Itachi and the events that colored his world..._

**Warning: ****There are spoilers here revealing things only currently released in the manga.**

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own Naruto, Alice Nine or their song Akatsuki.**

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**Part One: The Dawn**

**Akatsuki by Alice Nine**

_**'te wo hiita no wa dare?' youshou no kioku  
mezamereba itsudemo yume wa utakata ni kieta azayaka ni**_

_"Who was the one who led me by the hand?" Memories of childhood  
Whenever I awoke, the dream always disappeared in a bubble, vividly_  
_**  
daidai iro no ame hoho wa nurasanai  
nakushita mono wa aa iranai furi wo shiteta**_

_The orange-coloured rain doesn't wet my cheeks  
The things which were lost, aaah, I pretended that I didn't need them__****_

hatenai kanashimi wa, boku ga iyasou  
hitori de wa ikirarenai bokura wa

_I'll heal the unending sorrow  
The two of us aren't able to live alone__****_

yukisaki no hate ni nani ga mieru no? the story of brilliant growly  
hidari te ni yume wo, migi te ni wa kimi wo tsunaide  
akatsuki no youni kagayaiteitai the story of brilliant growly  
taisetsuna hikari wa boku no te ni

_At the end of the destination, what can we see? The story of growing brilliance  
I'm linked with dreams in my left hand and you in my right  
I want to shine like the daybreak, the story of growing brilliance  
The precious light is in my hand_

_**  
mabushikute... mienai yo. ushinatta mono wa, itsumo.**_

_The things which were lost are always dazzling... I can't see them_._****_

sunda yukisaki wo yubi de nasotta  
asayake wa bokutachi wo tsutsunda

_**  
**__I traced the cleared destination with a finger  
The colours of sunrise enfolded us_

_**  
yukisaki no hate ni nani ga mieru no? the story of brilliant growly  
hidari te ni yume wo, migi te ni wa kimi wo tsunaide  
akatsuki no youni kagayaiteitai the story of brilliant growly  
taisetsuna hikari wa boku no te ni**_

_At the end of the destination, what can we see? The story of growing brilliance  
I'm linked with dreams in my left hand and you in my right  
I want to shine like the daybreak, the story of growing brilliance  
The precious light is in my hand _


	2. The First Stroke: The Red

_**Hello all I hope you like this story. Don't expect timely updates. This is a story I am writing on the side more for myself than anything else. So whenever the mood strikes I'll write more. **_

_**Sorry for any typos spell-check hasn't been working and I don't have a beta. If you point out errors I will edit.**_

**Disclaimer: While it would be nice, I do not own Naruto.**

**Warning: Violence, blood shed, ect... possible lemon's eventually. Rated M for a reason.**

**The First Stoke: Red**

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_For most children their first impacting memories are yellow: happy little things that warm the heart, but not Itachi. No, his first real memories are colored red... _

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Screams, high and shrill echoed. A bump, a blast, and then the sound metal clashing. In his bed, a little boy of no more than four opened his eyes revealing onyx orbs. Hastily rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he jumped out of bed and dug under his matress for something. Fear crossed his features, the emotion briefly being overcome by triumph as a little hand pulled out a kunai far too large for such small palms. Still, the dark-haired boy held the weapon properly, remembering his father's words. Padding softly from the room, the little boy rose on his toes, struggling turn the knob on the door before he scampered out of the room to skulk silently into the hall.

He jumped, a sudden scream startling him, the sound far louder than the ones that had invaded his dreams. Swallowing his body quaked lightly in fear. He couldn't let fear get to him. He was a big boy and his otousan said big boy's couldn't show fear. Trying his best to ignore the terror threatening to overcome him, he crept down the stairs and closer to the noise. Onyx eyes opened wide in shock as he peeked out from the top of the stairs.

Two figures clashed together the sound of metal ricochetting off metal sounding harsh through the room as one aimed a kick at the other. The dark-haired one moving in a quick movement to disappear and reappear behind his opponent, deftly slitting the skin of his throat as he gave the body a harsh kick, pale skin becoming splattered with red as his opponent gurgled up blood, trying to breath through his torn wind pipe before all was silent. The boy gasped, his body trembling. Immediately the shinobi spun, red eyes glowing in the dim, early morning light, a shuriken already released from his grip before his eyes widened and he disappeared again in a blur of moment to grab the small boy and hall him up the stairs a split-second before the weapon struck.

"Ojisan,"he gapped.

Crimson eyes stared back at the boy accusingly, the usually warm face of his ojisan hard and cold. "Go get your okasan,"he ordered setting the boy down,"we have to go now."

"H-hhai ojisan,"he replied shakily, running to his mother's room and hastily opening the door. "Okasan! Okasan!"He called running into the room, his small hands already shaking her body.

The dark-haired woman cracked an eye open, rolling over wearily to look at the boy. Her eyes shot open, a scream erupting from her lips as she sat up abruptly, hands running over the small chest as the boy wriggled out of her grip. Immediately the dark-haired shinobi ran into the room, eyes scanning wildly for anything abnormal.

"Renji,"she replied startled, looking back down at her son to notice that he wasn't wounded.

"Mikoto,"he interjected harshly,"we have to go. Konoha is under attack and it's no longer safe here."

The woman's elegant features stilled, becoming a mask of impassiveness as she slid out of bed and began a series of hand signs. The boy looked up awe of his mother as her palms began to glow and with a whisper and a low _poof_, the disheveled matron was replaced with a fully armed kunoichi. Dark grey-blue eyes caught crimson as she deftly plucked her son from the ground and repeated the signs so that he too was prepared for battle.

"Mikoto in your condi-"the man began, eying her attire balefully.

"It is necessary,"she interjected,"I am a kunoichi and it is a kunoichi's duty to fight for her village," her tone was harsh, offering no quarter, and finally the dark-haired man nodded once before together they flickered into nothingness.

The sounds of battle were harsher here, and the boy winced briefly at the sound, his little hands gripping the dark material of his mother's shirt as she suddenly whirled, shuriken racing from her fingers before becoming imbedded in an assailant's unsuspecting throat. Red, he thought. The world was red. Above him the night sky flickered with the fury of flames as buildings became blazing infernos and the usually brown earth was stained a sienna beneath him.

His lips tightened, quelling the urge to scream. He had to be strong. Needed to be strong. Otou-san had always said only the weak screamed. A weakness was unacceptable. The desire to close his eyes and imagine himself in a different place beat at him, yet in a stupified horror his eyes remained open, his hands on his mother's chest, and heart beating frantically.

"This way Mikoto!"

Fire crackled in the heavens a new wash of screams battering his sensative ear drums as the air whoosed by him. Mikoto now leaping across the rooftops, slashing enemy rock nin. An inhuman roar suddenly rocked the earth followed by harshly sounded orders. A new enemy had just entered the game. Unable to stop himself, the little boy twisted in his mother's arms looking up at the sky and breaking into horrified shudders, yet not a sound escaped his lips. Towering over the rooftop of even the Hokage's office was a massive red fox. Wicked long teeth gleamed in its own glow of orange red and nine long tails whipped in deadly arcs demolishing buildings and killing swarms of nin from both sides.

"Uchiha-sama!"

The raven haired boy turned his head shakily, looking to see where the boyish voice came from. Black eyes widened. A dog-masked ANBU was running along side his mother. "Hatake-san," the steely eyed kunoichi greeted sharply, pace unfaltering. Something akin to awe filled the Uchiha heir. So this was the Hatake his father told him he must surpass. Genius and prodigy, Chuunin at six, an ANBU at thirteen and soon after squad captain. The copy-nin of Konoha and sole surviving member of the Yondaime's only team.

"I will accompany you to the safe house."

The woman scowled, her lips pressed into a tight line. "_I _will not be going to the safe house."

"_Demo_, Uchiha-sama, your condition-"

"My condition be damned,"Mikoto spat, startling the boy still clutching her chest. "I will not hide while my family is fighting this war!"

An audible sigh escaped the ANBU, silver-hair gleaming over the mask. "At least bring Itachi-chan there."

Mikoto looked down at her still trembling son and nodded. Carrying him into battle would be a foolish and reckless behavior. "Very well."

They flew through the night, his ojisan leading the way as the ANBU quickly dispatched all oncoming rock nin. Suddenly his mother swirved, kicking back and slashing with a kunai. The Iwa nin behind her fell dead. Gasping, the dark-eyed boy touched his face, unable to keep the shock from his features like his otousan taught him. His fingers came away red. Obsidian eyes stared out into the ranging battlefield, watching as members form the Akimichi clan multiplied in size and the hounds of the Inuzuka clan tore apart their enemies. One of the great hounds yelped, a spray of blood matting white fur and an Inuzuka man charged fangs beared as he fought in a blind rage. Two more nin came upon him one spearing through his chest with a sword, killing him instantly.

Everywhere. All around him people died. The screaming of the civilians and tortured cries as loved ones were cut down by their enemies creating a hellish orchestra of sound with the chilling, inhuman roar of the great fox leading it all. _Why_ he thought as he hid his face against his mother's jounin vest. _Why do they have to fight? Why do they have to die?_ His otousan had tried to explain to him about the glory and honor of shinobi, about living up to the Uchiha name. But he couldn't imagine how any of this could be worth it. What did he want with glory and honor if it meant that obasan and ojisan were dead? What was it worth if there was no okasan and otousan to be proud of him and Shisui-niisan to brag to?

_The weak die in disgrace but the strong live on and gain the glory. Become strong so that the glory is always yours. _His father's words floated in his mind, reminding him of his morning lessons.

Red streaks lit up the sky, the burning of the dawn just starting to lick at the cool heels of night.

"Minato-sensei!" He heard the ANBU gasp. "Sumimasen Uchiha-sama. I have to go." Mikoto nodded and the ANBU disappeared.

"Renji how far are we?" The kunoichi yelled, cultured tone harsh over the fresh screams and whines of buildings collapsing.

"We're almost there!"

Indeed they were. Only a few minutes more and they were leaving the raging sounds of battle, heading towards the forest edging the Hokage monument. Leaves rustled, bark splintering as suddenly an Iwa shinobi dropped down heading towards them. Itachi scrunched up his eyes not wanting to see the blow, but it never came. Tentatively eyes opened to see his ojisan had moved in the way, parrying the blow with his kunai.

"Mikoto go!"

"Hai." Then they were gone, disappearing into the trees to the base of the stone. Quickly the kunoichi made a flurry of hand-signs, the stone groaning to allow passage and four chuunin and genin jumped out at them.

"Uchiha-sama!" They exclaimed, battle stances relaxing as they ushered them in. "Get in, get in!"

Grey eyes bored into the face of the eleven-year old gennin who popped before her and was trying to drag her inside. "Umino Iruka," she stated.

The brown-haired genin stopped tugging. "Hai Uchiha-sama?"

"Take him." She ordered gently placing her son on the floor and shoving him forward. "Be good Ita-kun." She smiled once, warmly at him, grey eyes almost torn for a moment, then disappeared.

"Come Itachi-chan!" Iruka said with a force cheerfulness and lead him into the bowels of the mountain. The few genin and occassional chuunin nearby nodded at them, parting to allow them entry into the safe house they had made.

Dark eyes looked around, examining the anxious faces of civilians and fearful look in each mothers' eyes as she tried to comfort her distraught progeny. He recongnized some of them. Shinobi women too weak or unable to battle. A pink haired woman clutching a small baby to her chest, tears shining, yet never falling, in amythest eyes, the Inuzuka matron patting a distended belly as though in a trance, her hulking gray wolf-dog curled against her in efforts to comfort her, dozens of females from the Hyuuga clan, the Yamanaka and Akimichi matron. On and on, hundreds of faces glancing towards him as he came into the room. He could tell who was shinobi and who was not. It wasn't the chakra signatures that were all but invisible as they were supressed but the austure, dry faces of the injured and eldery men, and young women marking them as Konha's warriors. While civilians wailed and sobbed in their sorrows, shinobi turned to well known rules, fighting their emotions as they hoped and prayed silently, those who could tending the injured.

Keen eyes spotted the dark hair of his cousin Shusui and quickly, he made his way towards him, seating himself quietly in the corner. He nodded at his cousin. "Shisui."

"Itachi," came the reply with an austure nod. It seemed everyone was tense, yet it made him feel a little better to see Shisui there. If the older Uchiha was here it mean he, was not so weak. Settling, he continued watching those around him, heart aching as he observed their tears. Silently he prayed his mother was alright. Suddenly a bloodied chuunin was carried in, one of the Hyuuga woman exclaiming as she fretted over her son. Dashing towards him she quickly began gathering medical supplies. From his corner in the room he saw the woman bend her head, trying to catch the faint words of the injured shinobi. Blood drained from her face, becoming sickly pale, and she made her way to one of the Inuzuka women, whispering to her before flowing over to another Hyuuga, pale eyes shinning. A ghastly sound escaped those lips, haunting, tortured cries lifting as he watched the shinobi give into their grief. His eyes closed, unable to take in the scene any longer, but still their cries lingered in his ears, spearing through his body like a knife.

_No chichue. _He thought. _I'll become strong... I'll become strong so they won't have to cry._


	3. The Second Stroke: The Gray

**EmeraldMoonStar, TeenageCrisis, Regin, Vigilante6 this chapter is dedicated to you! Thanks for reviewing!**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Naruto, Dir En Grey, their songs, or the children's song Kagome.**

_**It has recently come to my attention that Naruto was born on October 10th while Sasuke was born on July 23 and Sakura on the 28th of March. Sakura's birthday has not changed-she does remind me of spring. However when I started writing this fic I envisioned Naruto as more of a summer baby and Sasuke a winter baby so the Kyuubi attack in my fic was not in October but late August. Itachi's birthday is still in June. **_

_**If this bother's you guys, I will be willing to change this but the first chapter will have to be rewritten. Otherwise these are going to be their birthdays.**_

**This chapter is recommended to be accompanied by Dir en Grey's Glass Skin (Japanese version...english version is not as good). Points to anyone who can figure out why these lyrics match this chapter's theme so well. **

**Lyrics here if desired:**

_Fure hajimeta shikai  
GARASU no sora, kaze no iro  
Hitori nagarete iru MERRY-GO-ROUND  
Te wo furu  
Ushirometasa yori dokotonaku usureta koe  
Asu jibun wo okizari ni nemuru_

_**My vision begins to blur  
The glass sky, the color of the wind  
The merry-go-round playing alone  
I wave  
My somehow faded voice is more important to me than my guilty conscience  
Tomorrow I sleep, leaving myself behind  
Emptier still than any tears of comedy  
Left to be just taken  
Left to be just damaged  
Here...**_

Kigeki no namida yori dare yori mo hakanaku  
Ubawareru mama kegareru mama  
Koko ni...

Ichiya aketa kurai asa ni mado wo gaku ni mitate  
Nemuru hada okoshi nureta e ni te wo nosu  
Haru ga kawa ni chirasu inochi yurayura doko e iku?  
Omotaku tozashita tobira ni te wo kakeru  
PAREEDO no nakigara shizukesa ga kyou mo ore wo  
Nemurasenai shinjitsu to warau

Kigeki no namida yori dare yori mo hakanaku  
Ubawareru mama kegareru mama  
Koko ni ai wo...  
Odokete odoru shiki ga dokomademo itaku  
Ubawareru mama kegareru mama  
Sashidasu yume ni tokete

_**In the dark morning, I pretend the window to be a picture frame  
I wake my sleeping skin and press my hand against this wet piece of picture  
Spring blossoms and the petals fall, giving life to the river  
Swaying from side to side, where will you go?  
I put my hand on the heavy and closed door  
The remains of the parade  
The silence laughs along with the fact that I won't be sleeping again tonight  
Emptier still than any tears of comedy  
Left to be just taken  
Left to be just damaged  
Here, let there be love...  
The jokingly-dancing seasons endlessly hurt  
Left to be just taken  
Left to be just damaged  
And to be melted by the dreams I hold out**_

I bleed as my way of compensating everything to you  
How heavy is blood?  
Happiness and sadness lies too close

Umaretekuru asu no te wa juunsui sono mama de  
Namida de kimi ga mou mienai

_**The hand that will be born tomorrow, will be simply pure and nothing else  
I can barely see you now with all these tears**_

Kigeki no namida yori dare yori mo hakanaku  
Ubawareru mama kegareru mama  
Koko ni ai wo...  
Kimi wo mioroseru hitotsu no kanransha  
Tada kuzureiku senritsu sae  
Amaku kirei de kowai  
Asai kotoba yori taiyou ni sarasareta  
Kagi ga yakitsuku kokoro ni fure

_**Emptier still than any tears of comedy  
Left to be just taken  
Left to be just damaged  
Here, let there be love...  
There is a ferris wheel, where I can look down and see you from  
The melody that just comes crumbling down is also so sweet and beautiful, it's frightening  
The shadow exposed by the sun is branded into my memory  
and it touches my heart than any shallow words combined **_

**The Second Stoke: The Gray**

_Sometimes there is no good or bad, only gray..._

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Over a week had passed since Kyuubi's attack and Iwa's attempt at another war was foiled and Konoha was busy repairing itself. The battle had been a great one, causing many casualties on both sides. Almost an entire class of chuunin, a couple of unfortunate genin that were not evacuated quickly enough, civilians caught in the initial attacks, ten ANBU and a fleet of Jounin, all dead. But while tragic, this was not what had Konoha crying today. Today was the day of the Yondaime, Yellow Flash of Konoha, Namikaze Minato's and his wife Kushina's funeral.

While all the other funerals were done both privately and in mass (for those whose remains were unidentifiable) had been finished during the first few days of peace, it was now that the much loved Hokage was to be put to rest. Dark clouds hovered over the procession, thunder giving deep sorrowful groan as slowly it began to rain. Fat drops stained the earth, as though the earth itself was mourning. Still the people of Konoha gathered, each dressed in black, faces bared to the rain. Not an umbrella was to be seen, and the hardened shinobi took advantage of the rain to cry.

Onyx eyes fixed themself on the two massive wood coffins. Unlike most shinobi, the past Hokages of the village were always buried and not burned, bodies ensconsed at the base of the hokage mountain where their faces would forever watch over Konoha. Despite himself, the raven-haired boy felt tears gather in his many funerals, so much sadness. Was this the cost of victory? If so, he wished he would never win. Wished he would never need to be victorious. But that was the impossible dream of a child, and already in his heart he knew he would have to fight. His eyes caught sight of Iruka, like many others now orphaned, sobbing beside Michiko, the other genin who had guarded the cave.

"Today we are gathered to honor the life of our Hokage Namikaze Minato and his beloved Namikaze Kushina. In respect to his final requests he and his wife are to be buried in the same tomb..."

Just how many had been lost? His heart clenched as he remembered the kind man who would stop by the pre-academy once a week and played with them and his lost cousins, and he felt tears threatening to spill over. _Hiroto-nisan, Shiori-neesan, Toshiro-ojisan, Haruka-obasan..._ He knew he shouldn't cry, knew it was breaking shinobi code, and yet... He glanced up at his mother her face pale and eyes rimmed with red, drops of water slipping down her face and he knew she was taking advantage of the rain to let herself show weakness. Clutching the fabric of her black kimono, Itachi cried.

"...T-the... M-Minato-sensei w-was a great man..."

"...Kushina completed him...wouldn't want us to be unhappy..."

"...I always thought..."

The crushing weight of it all. The war, the bloodshed, nearly dying... It all fell upon him at once, the mind-numbing safety of shock finally leaving him as he was suddenly hit with the full realization of what had happened. A sob broke from his lips, his mother running her fingers comfortingly through his hair, and beside her, he could hear his father's huff of disdain. But he didn't care. Making his father proud. Being a shinobi. Right now none of that mattered. Only the hollow twisting pain in his chest and the relief of finally being able to let go.

"As shinobi we are all faced by loss. Darers of death we fight with the knowledge that any battle could be our last. The shinobi codes tell us we cannot feel. But the codes forget that we are human. The Yondaime understood this well and that is why he was the greatest shinobi Konoha ever produced...that is why he died..."

"...Minato was always a happy person..."

"...There was no Minato without Kushina... Kushina was a powerful woman..."

"...All of Konoha mourns their loss..."

Rain soaked through his clothing, yet he was unmoved. The voices rose and fell in never-ending syllables and sounds, the words fading in and out as he allowed himself the release of tears. It felt good, just give in and feel. No thinking, no worrying. Just feel and let go. He could feel his body grow tired. Could faintly hear the shuffling of feet as people moved, paying their respects and setting flowers before the coffins. Suddenly his mother nudged him, hand reaching down to take his. He looked up bleerily, dark eyes shinning wetly.

"Okasan?"

"Come Ita-kun," she stated shakily, trying to smile and yet not quite managing. "Let us go say goodbye." Nodding numbly, Itachi let himself be tugged forward, little feet running to keep up with his parent's longer strides. The hand holding his left and he looked to his side. His mother was kneeling before the coffin placing a bouquet of white lillies placed on the ground before her as she spoke quiet words to the dead. He looked at the coffin, its glistening wood lid being splattered by the rain. His right hand clenched, holding the white flower he had been handed earlier and he mimiced his parents, kneeling and placing it before the coffin. Tears dripped down his cheek, and he felt that it wasn't enough. Fingers fishing into his pocket he brought out a small wooden top-one of the few toys his father had given him. Here was someone who had given up everything for his important people and even his father had admitted, the Hokage was strong. The Sandaime had called him the strongest shinobi in history. _Strong..._

Setting the top down next to the flower Itachi leaned in midnight locks plastered onto his skin, one small palm touching the cold wood. His throat clenched, sorrow bringing out the blue undertone in his irises. "_Sayonara Minato-san,_"he bit his lip, remembering how the blonde-haired man had always insisted on being called Minato when visiting the pre-academy, still he had never done as he wished. Only called him as his father instructed. Until now."_Yakusoku..."_ He stifled a sob, recalling the strength in those blue eyes and the wretched cries of the women. "_I promise... I will become strong like you!_" _Yakusoku..._

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Dawn was fast approaching, its light painting the sky brilliant pinks and blues as it chased away the night. The trees rustled, a greeting to the coming day and birds began to chirp. Konoha was awakening. The sun's light crept closer, drawing over the skies above the Uchiha compound, illuminating the faces of two shinobi.

"Fugaku! Where are you going?" Mikoto asked in a hushed whisper as she saw her husband already up and dressed.

Black eyes bored into hers out from a hard, yet delicately masculine face. Age and worry creased the skin around those eyes, the lines of a frown forever embedded on a thin, sculpted mouth. Those eyes were soft as they gazed upon her, but soon grew determined. "To train Itachi."

"Wait!" She demanded softly, grasping his arm as he headed for the door. "Let him sleep. He's been having terrible nightmares recently about that war and hasn't been able to sleep."

Dark eyes narrowed. "That is no excuse. A shinobi must always be prepared for battle." His deep voice was hard, cold as though reciting some deeply ingrained lesson.

"He's only four! You can't expect him to follow all the shinobi rules!"

"He will be a shinobi. Moreover, he is an Uchiha and as such he must become the best!" He argued.

"Fugaku!" Mikoto reprimanded, trying to appeal to his compassion. "You've already got him going to that pre-academy and he comes home tired enough. Let him sleep!"

"Then,"The dark haired man stated darkly,"I will unenroll him. Kami knows he isn't learning anything. All they do is play!"

"They're all children of course they play!"

"Yet others their age have already killed." Dark eyes glowed red for a second as made a gesture, rendering the conversation over. Mikoto opened her mouth, faltered, then stopped, at last bowing her head and giving in. Her husband would not move in this. Not when his clan was at stake. _Pride. _The thought brought a sour taste in her mouth. _Always his pride. _How it killed them.

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Screams tore through the night and the sky burst with red flames. Dark eyes shot open. His body jolting out of bed as the walls crashed around him. He spun, staring into the space where his wall once stood, the rubble from the destroyed ceiling covering the floor. A horrified gasp left his lips, body shaking. Above him he could see the head of the nine tailed fox, its gaping maw destroying the hospital, fangs glinting and blood tainted saliva slipping down to pool onto the floor.

He was dreaming. He knew he was dreaming. He had had this dream many times and always knew. Yet that didn't make the fear any less. Gathering his wits his body rocked forward, heading towards the living room. Peering down the stairs he felt his heart drop. Two shinobi were engaged in a battle against six others with headbands gleaming under the reddish light. Iwa nins. He recognized the symbol from the books his father made him read. But worse yet were the two fighting. _Otousan! Ojisan!_

Kunai flew threw the air, the shinobi moving too quick for his eyes to follow. Two of the Iwa nin went down falling in a bloody heap, but it wasn't enough. This time instead of his uncle parrying the blow and killing the nin the stone nin spun, drowing out a tanto and severing his head from his body. Itachi gasped, hands clamping over his mouth to stifle a scream. His father roared and threw himself at the nins, dark ponytail flying in an arc as he disappeared. Shuriken flew loding into the wall, and his father managed to kill two more enemy shinobi.

"Otou-san watch out!" Itachi yelled seeing him dodge a set of kunai only to land straight into the enemies trap.

"Itachi! Run!" Fugaku yelled before his was swallowed whole by the mass of rock which shot up out of the ground, entombing him. The Iwagakure shinobi looked towards him and the blonde one grinned maniacally, hands clapsing together as he mumbled a word and the rock groaned, squeezing tight so that blood splattered the walls. His otousan's blood. Adrenaline surged through his blood, his legs telling him to run and he did. Little legs pumped forward putting every ounce of strength into moving forward. Small hands reached for the knob of a door, wrenching it open.

"No! No!" He cried in a shocked whisper. He ran towards the bed. An inhuman sound pierced his ears. High pitched and keening. He wondered where it came from only to realize the sound was coming from _his _throat. Hands reached out, grasping now cold flesh. "_Okasan_." He breathed horrified, cringing at the feel of blood sticking to his fingers. The whole bed was drenched in blood. White sheets stained crimson and at its center his mother, her body eviscerated, bowels hanging and bone gleaming like white shards against the red. "Okasan!"He howeled, not caring that he was being loud. That he could be heard by the enemies. _The baby!_

Another crash caused him to whip back to attention. _Kazoku. Family! His family was in danger. _Rushing across the hall, he darted back into his room, hearing the bloodthirsty chuckles of the nin slowly drawing nearer.

"Itachi-kun! Itachi-kun! Were are you, un?" They called mockingly, already aware of where he was.

A cold sweat broke over his body and his dark eyes looked at the hole. It was a long drop, but he had been climbing trees for as long as he could remember. Surely it couldn't be too bad. Not thinking about the action any more, the little boy jumped out through the hole. grabbing onto the roof of one of the rooms below as he went down before scampering dropping down the rest of the way. His bone jarred, just this side of pain but he ignored it, feet running through the Uchiha district.

Trails of blood littered the ground, houses smashed beyond repair. The great roars of the beast and screams of the dying haunting him. He ran, heart clenching as he noticed each destroyed house. He darted along the left, towards his obaasan's house. She had to be there! She had to! His heart fluttered wildly in his chest, like a newly caged bird beating against the bars. His hands grasped the knob, pulling it with all his strength as he dashed into the room. Chairs lay on their back, the table parted in half, shoji screens torn through.

"_Obaasan..."_ He whispered trying not to cry. Onyx eyes followed a trail of red, following it in a stupified trance, he slowly slid open the door, ignoring the hole in the screen. A hard swallow tensed his throat. Nails dug into the palms of his hands. His obbasan, his ojiisan, his itoko... Dead all dead. Their limbs scattered across the floor as though they had been ripped apart. Cold invaded his limbs.

"_Kagome Kagome, un? Kago no naka no Tori wa...Itsu Itsu deyaru?_" His ears twitched. He could hear them coming. Footsteps made purposely loud as they moved through the house. Glass shrieked as it broke under a foot.

_"Hm. Tsuru to kame to no shoumen daare?_" The voice sang tauntingly, tainting the childish song so that it's meaning was twisted. "_Itachi? Itachi? Kago no naka no Tori wa...Itsu Itsu deyaru?_"

He scampered across the room, hands digging against the bodies to grasp a long knife. He shuddered, trying in vain not to think of the blood...of the bodies of his family. Dead. All Dead. Limbs trembled, knees knocking together, still he stood, waiting, trying not to give up when his life was torn to shreds before him.

"_Tsuru to kame to subetta, un. Ushiro no shoumen daare?_" The voice was closer now, a few feet. He had to fight. He had to try.

The door slid open, a flash of brown hair and his eyes widened as the two nin came into the room, grinning. "_Mitsukete yo! _" _A shinobi attacks when the enemy is at his weakest. _The words flowed to the forefront of his mind, not comforting at all. They drew nearer, stained with the blood of his parents yet faces painted with wide, savage grins. Itachi pressed himself closer to the wall. They drew closer kicking away the disgarded limbs. Now they were only feet away from him. His breath came in harsh pants, eyes wide as he tried to be strong. Tried to be worthy.

Suddenly the wall behind him groaned, exploding inwards with shards of stone and wood, forcing him to close his eyes. He heard the nin jump back, feet sounding against the kitchen floor. Eyes opened tentatively, peeking out to find the two nin staring in terror at something behind him. Gluping, he turned. Only to be met with the fanged snout of the kyuubi and blood red eyes. Opening its jaw the beast roared.

****

Itachi shot awake as something whizzed by his head. Obsidian orbs widened as they focused on the kunai embedded on the wall above his bed. Just inches from his head. As soon as the thought registered he was on his feet, the weapon he hid beneath his pillow in hand. Eyes scanned the room wildly, searching for an assailant when another kunai whoosed past his ear. He dodged, almost tumbling with the sudden burst of speed. Dark hair whipped by as he turned to look at the figure by the door. Eyes widened a fine trembling taking over his limbs as the dream flashed through his mind. A stone shinobi here. In his room. He fell into a battle stance.

The nin was on him in an instant. A blade drove towards his head and he parried it with his kunai, adrenaline singing through his blood. The blade came again and this time he tried to dodge, the weapon slicing through the skin of his arm and despite himself he cried out. "Fight me!" The shinobi demanded, voice gravely.

He shuddered shakily moving to attack only to have the kunai swatted from his hand. Just as quickly the blade was at his throat, a thin line of blood forming. "P-ple-please,"he croaked, fear stealing his voice. "D-don't k-kill mme!"

The shinobi's brown eyes narrowed. "Weakling! Don't beg! Fight!" He hissed.

"O-onegai!" His voice trembled.

The Iwagakure nin growled throwing the boy off him, across the room to crash into a wall."Fine then! Your family will be your sacrifice!" Disappearing out the door he left a shaken Itachi. Understanding filling him, the raven-haired boy scrambled to his feet shakily, grabbing the kunai again and running out the door. A scream filled the air and his head darted. It came from the living room! Tearing down the stairs he scampered across the hall and into the living room. The air knocked out of his chest.

The shinobi looked at him, face parting into a snarl. "So the weakling comes!" Pulling on the woman's hair at his knees, he brought the kunai close to his throat. "This is what your begging brings." His mother's blue eyes stared at him, pleadingly, then dimmed, the life leeching out of them as her throat was slit. Tossing her to the side the nin disgarded her like useless garbage, his eyes still trained on the immobile body. Calmly he picked up another one of the tied bodies on the floor, lifting it up against him. "Say goodbye to your Otou-san now Itachi!" He grinned this time plunging the knife into Fugaku's chest. His father's mouth opened and closed, blood dribbling from his lips as he struggled for air, then with a great rattling sound, slumped. Dead.

"Is this enough for you Uchiha?" His hand grabbed another one disappointed at the boy's lack of reaction. _Shisui!_ Itachi took a step forward, legs bucking as the strain was too much for him, his fragile psyche crushed as he saw his best friend slaughtered, smiling even as he was gutted alive. Looking up at the boy the ninja snarled. "Damn it! Attack me!" He trudged up to the now violently shaking body a dull look in those dark eyes.

Gripping him by the shirt of his pajamas he lifted the boy up shaking him out of his shocked trance. Instantly those midnight eyes filled with anger, sorrow, hate. There. There was the emotion he was looking for. The shinobi smiled a feral smile, brandishing his teeth. "Want to kill me? If you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me, " He hissed. "_Here_..." He brought the shaking hand to his throat as he placed his own kunai at the boy's neck. "Kill me before I kill you!"

Fury burned within him and Itachi swung, still trembling hands struggling to move the kunai. The blade slipped, clattering from his grasp. His body unable to hand the stress of his emotions any longer. "Idiot!" The nin hissed, pressing the blade tighter against the thin skin of the boy's throat. "Now you die!"

"O-onegai..."The words followed from a hoarse voice.

"God damn it!" The brown haired man snarled throwing the boy at the corpse. "Not even good enough to kill someone who's going to kill you! Fine! Survive in an unsightly way! Run! Run and cling to life!" He looked at Itachi again, watching the boy now shuddering with sobs as he cradled the forms of his dead parents. He turned his brown eyes away, disgusted.

Slowly the air began to shimmerer and ripple. Itachi's eyes widened the tears stopping as he felt something suddenly disappear. He looked down, expecting the corpses of his parent's only to find him clutching air. Brows furrowed and he wiped the tears from his face. Eyes swept the room, noticing he was kneeling in the living room before his father.

"Otousan?" His quiet voice questioned.

Pitch black eyes gazed at him, filled with disappointment, and Itachi felt his heart clench. What happened? Why was his Otousan so disappointed in him? What did he do wrong? A frown creased his father's handsome face, cheek bones seeming more pronounced for the action. His jaw clicked, an irritated sound escaping him. "Hn." The tall man turned from him, shaking his head. "That was a genjustu." Itachi's eyes widened. All that had been an illusion? "You failed," his father continued, voice stern, and the words burned a hole through his chest, "Did not detect the genjustu. Surrendered instead of fighting. Failing to kill an enemy. You disappoint me." A dark head cocked back, black eyes boring into his own similar pair. "Make sure it doesn't happen again."

Swallowing, the Uchiha heir got to his feet, head bowing. "Hai Otou-san."

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Sunlight filter through the leaves, making warm patches in the grass as Itachi leaned against a tree, reading. A large book was clutched in his hands, comical in proportion to his size, yet he held it easily. Idly he turned a page. Around him children chattered, running around and playing games, taking care to pointedly ignore the Uchiha sitting amongst them. Not that he noticed. No, he was too absorbed in the first year academy text book he had swiped from his second cousin Shou. Currently he was on the chapter dealing with chakra. It was fascinating.

"Hey Kura-chan, what ya looking at?" A four year old girl with curling orange hair in pigtails asked as she played in the sand box.

"Him." The brown haired girl said pointing towards the Uchiha. Itachi's ears twitched minutely, his attention caught at the eerie feel of someone staring.

"Eww!" A blue haired boy squealed, having heard their conversation. "Why you looking at that freak?"

Kura cocked her head questioningly. "Why he a freak?"

Quickly the two took hold of her arms, leaning in conspiratoraly. "That's Uchiha Itachi. He's stayed here a month and never just sits there and reads. Or stares. He's really cweepy!"

"Yeah! Yeah!"The girl to her side said nodding, pigtails bobbing. She covered her mouth with a hand whispering. "He played tag with us but he was so fast! It wasn't nomal! Then after that he'd only play when Ayumi-sensei said we had to."

Kura pouted, pink lip puffing out childlishly and crossed her arms. "I want him to play with us." She looked towards her wide eyed companions. "I'm going to ask him."

"Wait Kura-chan don't! What if he kills you?" Itachi's heart clenched as he heard that, trying to concentrate on the methods of detecting chakra. He should have expected something like this. He was different. Knew more. Saw more. And the others didn't understand that. So they avoided him. Some of the girls had flocked to him, finding him _cute_. He scrunched his nose at the word. But in the end they to had abandoned their efforts after the others started making fun of them, saying they had cooties, and they never manged to get more than a hn from him. He bit his lip, trying to concentrate on the words. He didn't need them anyway. Shisui was better than all of them.

"Yuri-chan that's stupid! He won't kill me!" Then puffing her chest the little girl headed straight towards the Uchiha, head leaning down so that her hair fell over his book. The whispers began.

"Whoa she's so brave!"

"Do you think he'll eat her?"

"Baka! He can't eat her. He's not a cammiball!"

"Look, he's looking at her."

"Ouch what's she doing with wierdo?"

Itachi clenched his teeth, staring disdainfully at the hair that blocked his vision and tried to concentrate on anything but those around him. Moving a hand, he brushed aside the brown tresses and tried to read._ Chakra has many uses. One of which is in countering genjustsu... _A hand waving before his face interrupted his reading. Inwardly sighing he let his gaze fall on the cheerful girl before him. He inclined an eyebrow.

"Want to play hide and seek with us?" She asked cheerfully, wine-red eyes expectant.

"Hn." _No._ Didn't they see he had better things to do? A war had been fought, people had died, and they were concerned with playing? Why weren't they trying to help? Besides no one really wanted to play with him. He was quiet not deaf. _Hypocrites._ They called him weird, dangerous yet they were the ones that spoke ill of him, displacing their fears and inefficiencies on him. Blaming him so they wouldn't have to blame themselves. Fearing just because he was an unknown.

"That's not an answer. Yes or no?" She whined.

Coal eyes narrowed. "No."

"Aha! He speaks!"She mocked before whining again. "Come on! Play!"

A sigh escaped him. "Will you let me read if I do?"

"Hai!"

His eyes seemed to stare at nothing as he thought, facial expression unchanging. Hide and seek was a game. But it was a game that tested the opponent's tracking skills. Shinobi used chakra to find others. Chakra that was needed to dispell genjustu. Pushing himself onto his feet he set down his book. "Fine."

Kura squealed, running towards the group of children all watching the interaction curiously. "I did it! I did it! He's going to play!" Groans escaped a few of the children while others seemed genuinely interested. Nonchalantly he walked towards them, hands stuffed into the pockets of his black Uchiha pants.

"Your it!" Kura squeeled as he finally neared them and pointed at a nearby tree. "Now stand over there and count to twenty!"

Once again he inwardly sighed though his expression remained unchanged-his more recent..._lesson_ assured that. Leaning against the bark he closed his eyes and began counting, hearing the others giggling as they ran to hide. _Ichi... ni... san.. shi.. go.. roku.. nana.. hatchi.. kyuu... juu..._ His thoughts began to wander as he counted, photographic memory recalling the things he read and perusing them. _Juu-nana... Juu-hatchi... Juu-kyuu.. Ni-juu. _His eyes opened as he looked around. Not a person in sight. Well except for Ayumi-sensei.

Taking a deep breath he concentrated, closing his eyes and trying to feel his chakra like the book said. Inner-conciousness grew as he fell into a semi-medative state. He could feel the blood flowing through his veins could hear the wind rustling the grass, Ayumi-sensei's light breathing across the playground, the pull of the thread as she mended clothes. _The major chakra center is located slightly above the navel..._ He thought, concentrating on his stomach, searing with those no-fingers inside himself, trying to feel it. There! He could feel it. Wonder filled him. Chakra like a warm massive ball flowing through him. He could feel it in his fingers, toes, all leading into his chest. _All people have chakra-shinobi more than others. Once you can sense your own chakra you may sense others chakra. _

His lips drew in a line as he forced his awareness outwards looking for the same thrumming heat he felt in himself. Minutes ticked by, the effort slowly draining him, but his persistence was rewarded. Slowly he started to sense it, small flickers of pulsing warmth, like little laterns in the night. He could see them in the darkness of his mind yellows and blues shining, each one having a different feel, different _taste_ to them, and strongest of all the bright blue chakra only a few meters away from him. He opened his eyes. The bright chakra was coming from Ayumi-sensei. A smirk crept upon his lips. That must mean...

Darting forward he turned left, climbing up a tree only to find Kura among its branches. "Aww, you found me!" Eagerly she hopped down. "Guess I'm it next." Walking she went to sit by the tree Itachi had counted at, waiting until he found the others. In barely a minute he had found them all, in trees, behind rocks, hiding in the sandbox... It didn't matter with his new chakra sensing abilites there was no where they could hide he couldn't find them. One person had even hidden behind Ayumi-sensei (though he had to admit he took him longer to find).

"No fair," one of the boys pouted. "You found us too fast! You must have cheated!"

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "Did not."

"Then smarty how did you find us so fast?"

Smugly, the Uchiha smirked. "I found your chakra."

Some of them looked confused while others looked shocked and a little fearful."What's that?" A black haired boy asked.

A blonde girl pipped up. "I know! Chakra is the thing ninjas use to make jutsu! I saw my nee-chan use it once! She made the ground go boom!"

"Wow." Many of them gapped openly at the Uchiha.

"Scary! He's scary!" The girl with the pigtails exclaimed as she ran away. Soon enough the others followed suit leaving the Uchiha once again alone.

Trudging back to his tree he picked up the book again. Hiding his face behind its pages. They knew nothing. Understood nothing. He didn't need people like them. The joy that he felt at mastering his new skill had completely disappeared.

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"Itachi." Obsidian eyes looked upwards, squinting against the bright sunlight.

_Otousan? Why is Otousan here?_ Carefully he raised himself up, grabbing the large book and walking towards his father. He came to a stop by the graying Ayumi-sensei and gave her a nod, then bowed slightly to his father. "Konnichiwa chichue." Dark eyes evaluated his form, chilling him with its cold intensity. He suppressed a shudder.

"Noda-san." His rumbling voice started, turning his attention away from his son. "I am unenrolling Itachi."

Dark eyes blinked. "May I ask why? You still have another three months paid and I'm afraid at this time we cannot afford refunds." Her voice was soft, condescending.

That chiseled face shuttered itself, becoming harder and those black eyes flat. "Why is none of your concern." He turned towards Itachi extending a hand and Itachi's eyes lit up. His Otousan _never _held hands with him-at least not since he could remember. Tentatively he grasped the warm hand in his, small fingers curling over two of his bigger ones. "Consider it a donation. Come Itachi. It is about time you started really training."

Suppressing the urge to smile he gave a nod of the head. "Hai chichue." Finally he wouldn't have to deal with the weight of those stares on him, with those hushed whispers they only thought he couldn't hear. He was free and his otousan had decided that he was worthy of training, worthing of _really_ becoming shinobi. _'Yakusoku...'_ The word whispered through his mind reminding him of his promise before that fresh grave. _'Yakusoku'_. He would become strong. He would train. The time for games was over. He had to become strong for _them_. So that he would never have to find himself alone. Never have to find his family dead. Never have to hear another cry...

Taking quick steps to match his father's stride, he turned his back on the pre-academy. It was time to face the real world.

_I won't fail again..._

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Muscles screamed, protesting the launching movement as a raven-haired boy dodged a set of senbon coming from various directions. Teeth worried his lip. He had gotten hit again. Tearing out the needles from his arm, he stood in battle stance again, eyes scanning the room, aching body tensing.

"Faster!" A raspy man's voice called. "Do you want to die! Move!" Another set flung at him this time coming from behind him and he spun out of the way just barely missing a senbon that whoosed past his ear. His limbs were heavy and he could feel his vision blurr. They had been at this for two hours and he couldn't stand much more. His Otousan's training had been harsh, but never had he been pushed this hard. Not for this long.

A cough escaped hiim as he fought the approaching darkness in his mind. He wasn't weak. He couldn't afford to be. A clan elder himself was supervising this training. His ojiisan. If he failed now his father would be disappointed in him again. If he failed again he could be a strong shinobi like Mintao-san.

"Don't dwaddle! Get up! Move!" He gasped, gulping air into his lungs as he stood shakily. Just once more. Once more and maybe he could finally rest. More senbon came, this time from all angles and he dived, swooped, body twisting as he tried to protect himself. It wasn't enough. Pain streaked through him, his already blurred vision growning darker. Three more in his right arm, four to his right leg, six to his left, three more on his back. He could feel blood drip from the wounds. Such tiny wounds. It was a good thing they didn't bleed much. His okasan would have a panic attack if she knew just what his new training included. In her sensative state the slightest things disturbed her and otousan had sworn him to secrecy. Okasan couldn't know, not while she was in such a delicate condition.

His legs buckled, hands scrapping the floor as he tried to stand. But it was too much. Too much effort was needed. He coughed again, trying to fight the darkness long enough to stand. "You curr! Are you an Uchiha or slug! Stop crawling on the ground and get up!" More senbon came, he could sense them moving through the air, disturbing the stillness. He rolled to the side, missing most but not all of the weapons. Hands pushed against the wooded floor, body straining. His arms gave out knocking his chin on the floor. The blackness was encroaching on his range of vision, filling his sight so that the old man with long gray hair and aquiline features became a blob of gray. Fingers batted away some of the senbon. Then all was dark.

"Move!" The elder Uchiha yelled. Dark eyes fell upon the body, noting his slowed breathing. Groaning he got off his perch on one of the benches in the dojo, walking towards the fallen body. Bending down, he nudged the boy with his hand. "Out cold." He mummbled to himself, whizened face surprisingly twisting into a smile. Seventy-four hits out of three hundred and sixty-nine senbon in two hours, fifty-three of them in this past hour. He hadn't excepted the boy to last this long or do so well. Not after only two weeks and with so many. Another three weeks of working on his dodging and speed and he should be able to dodge all of them

Gathering the boy in his arms, he carried him to one of the servants, gently brushing away some of the senbon. "Chihiro. Take him to the clan's medic." He brushed a hair away from that tired face. Uchiha Itachi. He was proud. This one, he was sure, would do great things.

"Hai Uchiha-sama." The woman bowed then gingerly took the boy before scampering away. From the corners of the room four other Uchihas walked into the room. Appearing from their hiding places in the dojo.

"I didn't think he would dodge that many," a thirteen year old Uchiha exclaimed, a Konoha head band sitting proudly on his fore.

"Aa." The elderly Uchiha grunted his agreement.

"Yes, I can hardly believe it! And with them coming from so many different directions. It truly is amazing Takeo-sama." Another male exclaimed dark hair bobbing as bent to pick up the senbon.

"I think he was using out chakra to guess where the attacks were coming from." One of the females stated, her dark eyes revealing nothing.

"Setsuko that's ridiculous! He hasn't even had chakra training yet!"

"Aki tha-"

"That is enough." Takeo's gravely voice interjected. "You are dismissed until next session."

All four bowed, looking abashed. "Hai Uchiha-sama." They called out, returning to upmost formality.

As they disappeared with audible poofs, Takeo began mulling over the girls words. Could it be true?

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Soft wonderment filled his eyes as he felt the butterfly-flutter of movement beneath his hands. Dark eyes gazed upwards, their silent awe unconcealed. "That's it okasan? My kyodai?" A soft smile played upon cherry lips.

"Hai Ita-kun." Mikoto stated, blue eyes soft as she ran her fingers through his baby-soft hair. Gently she placed her hands over his own, the soft wind flowing through the sitting room window making her inky tresses dance. "Oh!"She exclaimed with a laugh. "Did you feel that?"

A small head nodded eyes wide as his hand stroked the taunt skin of his okasan's belly. It was so much stronger then, like a soft nudge out from beneath the skin. "What was that?" He asked, voice soft.

"A kick Ita-kun. Your Kyodai is saying hello." A smile grace his lips, his more impassive features glowing as he rested his ear against his mother's stomach. Odd bubbling sounds filled his ears and beneath it all the soft thrum of a heart beat.

"Ohayou kyodai." Itachi greeted, resting his cheek on his mother's warm skin. "I am your aniue Itachi." His lips brushed the skin in a small kiss, hiding the growing smile on his features as his sibling kicked again. Suddenly, he was enfolded in his mother's arms. Gentle hands pulling him up so that he was cradled in her lap. He looked up at her then snuggled into her form. The sound of that faint heart-beat relaxing him.

Long fingered hands twined in his hair again, brushing them in soothing caresses. "How has your training been? Otousan isn't being too difficult on you?" She tried not to show it but she worried. Fugaku could just be so stubborn sometimes.

"Iei okasan." He mumbled hands caressing that taunt skin where her shirt had lifted. "My training has been good. Otousan's been teaching me how to throw kunai and shuriken." He didn't feel bad about saying it. It was true after all. His otousan _was_ only teaching him that. It was his grandfather that was giving him the extra training.

"That's good." She stated hands still making those wonderful explorations through his hair. Itachi could feel his lids start to become heavy as he relaxed. It was so soothing. Soon enough sleep came to claim him, the muffled beating of a heart against his ear slowly lulling him into those restful arms.

Itachi woke sometime later in his bed. Dark eyes fluttered open and little fists came to rub the sleep from his eyes. Had he gone to bed? He didn't think he did. Glancing at the clock he took note of the time. Seven pm. It was about time his otousan came home from the clan meetings. Stretching his still aching muscles, the Uchiha heir made his way down the hall and towards the dinning room. _Okasan should be done with dinner now_. As though on cue his stomach grumbled, reminding him he hadn't eaten since noon.

Padding towards the door he carefully opened the it, turning the knob and pushing the wood forward. Silently the door swung and he walked into the dining room. His father was already seated and his mother carrying the last of the bowls on to the table. "You're right on time for dinner Ita-kun." She smiled, setting down the bowls and seating herself to her husband's right on a dark blue pillow. Following her lead, Itachi nodded at both his parents and sat himself at his father's left.

His dark eyes turned towards the imposing figure of his father, sneaking glances to find that his father was looking at him with pride. Happiness bubbled in him and he quickly stuffed a piece of fried tofu into his mouth to hide a coming smile. The meal was conducted in mostly silence, with his father and mother chatting quietly between drinks of tea. It was calm. Peaceful even. He loved it. His father and mother beside him, no training and no missions to keep them way.

"Itachi." The boy turned his head, openly staring at the older dark haired man. "I've got a treat for you." He blinked, stunned anticipation filling him. His father rarely gave gifts, much less treats. What could it be he wondered? A toy? Another kunai? Nodding towards his wife, Fugaku watched as she got up gracefully and disappeared into the kitchen.

"I'm proud of you Itachi. Your grandfather told me of how much you improved." A smirk crept on his face, changing the plains of his countenace so that it seemed suddenly new land. "And sensing chakra. Amazing. Tell me, can you really do it?" His voice was low, wondering.

Itachi gave a nod. "Hai otousan. I learned from a book." Pleasure made itself known in those coal black eyes and Itachi's heart leapt. He loved it when his father was pleased with him. It was only in times like these that his hard facade cracked away to show the man he was beneath the shinobi exterior.

"Very good," he stated ruffling his son's hair. His wife suddenly came back into the room, cutting off his short speech. He gave another smirk then gestured towards the plate in her hands. "A treat for you. Dango. Your favorite."

Itachi glowed with pleasure, his eyes showing the disbelief his face struggled to hide. "Arigatou!" Grasping one of the sticks he slowly bit off a dumpling, closing his eyes as he enjoyed the sweetness of the sauce against the light flavour of the chewy dough. Kushi dango. His absolute favorite. Not that he didn't love other dango, but the chewy sweetness coating his tongue was heaven. The taste brought back memories of his first festival, how his father had carried him on his large shoulders and won him a gold fish. Then he had taken him to the stands to enjoy the games before they finally headed towards a food stand. There they sold Kushi dango, and his father bought him a stick. It was the first time he had ever eaten something so sweet. A new love was born instantly.

Taking a sip of his green tea, Itachi bit into another dumpling. If this was the treatment he got for suffering all that training, then it was worth it. Nothing was better than feeling his family complete. Besides he would have trained on his own anyway. His lips pulled into a smirk. Now all they needed was his little kyoudai and then everything would be perfect.

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Weeks flew by his days blurring together so they seemed an endless string. Wake, eat, play with Shisui, train, read, sleep. This was the rhythm of his days ever since he had left the pre-academy. He couldn't say it bothered him much. He enjoyed the time with his father, loved seeing how happy he got when he finally managed to hit the bulls eye on each target. Still they continued to train, until he could strike every one flawlessly without fail twenty times, the training would continue. But that was alright. It was much better than the training his ojiisan made him go through. Every time the number of senbon increased, forcing him to work harder to dodge, but at least that lesson wasn't every day. Interspersed to allow hiim rest his ojiisan had made a strict training regimine for him, making him run laps around the compound and then practice kata and sparring with his first and second cousins. Once his reflexes were deemed enough they would start really fighting. But those were thoughts for another time.

His attention stirred once more to the trees. It was almost winter, the leaves having turned a brilliant reds and oranges. The biting chill of the wind whipped around him as he ran around the Uchiha gardens play a game with Shisui. Gooseflesh formed on his bare arms, but he ignored it. This too was a type of training. If he could learn to ignore the cold, could supress it, then controlling his emotions and expressions would be a lot easier. Or at least that was what ojiisan had told him. Right now the two Uchiha's were playing a version of hide and go seek, except the one who was it would have to find an item the other hid. At the moment he was it. And what was Shisui doing? Well, he was playing his part in the game: doing everything possible to fool the Uchiha heir into searching the wrong places.

"Ready to give up yet Itachi-kun?" The mocking tone called as his cousin taunted him from his perch on a large maple.

"Hn." The sound was the only sign he listened. His dark eyes focused on the earth trying to look for the subtle signs of Shisui's passing, but it was difficult. Shisui played the game well, making sure to create a plethora of false trails while trying to goad his younger cousin into anger. Ignorning the new jibes Shisui was throwing he concentrated. Being that Shisui was hugging to the trees it meant he either hid something in a tree and was trying to mark as many spots as possible to throw him off track or... Itachi's dark eyes fell upon the earth. Or he was trying to mislead him by making him think to search the trees and ignore the things below him. A smirk crossed his lips as he noted the uneven distribution of leaves under two trees. _Very smart Shisui_ , he thought, _but those trees have mostly red leaves and there are too many yellow leaves there to blame it on the wind. _

"Hey you listening ice prince?" He could hear Shisui move, most likely jumping towards another tree, but ignored him. "Hello?"

Darting forward Itachi disappeared leaving a confused Uchiha behind. Dark eyes suddenly widened understanding blazing as he ran. He didn't think Itachi would find it _this _fast! Sandaled feet crunched against the leaves, unable to yet move soundlessly in such conditions. He halted suddenly, shoulders hunching. Before him was Itachi, his eyes shinning wickedly as he held up the silver necklace Shisui liked to wear.

"Oh shoot." He pouted. "You found it already." He sighed."Guess it's my turn to be it."

"Aa."

"Alright I'll jus-"

"Itachi-sama! Itachi-sama! Come quick!" He whirled around, kunai already in his grip as his eyes searched for danger, remembering the genjutsu his father had used on him time and time again until finally he was able to dispell it. By then he had gotten a lot quicker in his reaction time and his ojiisan's training only helped. The stance fell from him. It was only one of their servantsYura.

The dark blue haired woman gestured frantically, yelling from her place near the house. "Hurry! Your mother's having the baby!" His dark eyes widened. The baby. His imouto or otouto was coming!

"Matta ashita Shisui!" The he was gone, body blurring as he raced throught the halls, just in time to hear a baby's wail. Clenching his fists he increased his speed. Slowing as he reached the door, he slid the door open and headed into the room. Lying on her bed his mother, the Uchiha matron was panting, her hair unusually disheveled with his father at her side, but all that wasn't what caught his attention. No what held the Uchiha heirs onyx eyes in a compulsion to stare, was none other than a tiny, dark haired baby crying in his mother's arms.

His mother seemed to notice him at last, turning teary blue eyes towards her son she smiled, one of those heart-warming completely raw smiles and he felt his lips curve in answer. "Come here Ita-kun." She panted patting the bed beside her and he came, eyes filling with awe as something burst in his chest at the sight of the tiny form. How could something like that had been inside his mother? Mikoto laughted, at her son's almost fearful wonderment and held the baby out. She looked towards her husband and he nodded, eyes shinning with pride and joy as his thumb rubbed small circles on her hand. "This is your brother Sasuke." She rocked the baby slowly, entending him towards his brother. Itachi swallowed and tentatively extended his arms, fearful of touching this fragile looking being in case he somehow hurt him. As though understanding, his mother leaned forward a bit, setting the baby in his small arms and steadying his grip with her hand.

The baby's cries stopped, dark almost blue eyes opening to stare at him. Itachi felt his heart beat wildly. Cradling the small form to him Itachi dared a smile. "Hello Sasuke-kun," he whispered through his clenching throat,"I'm your aniki, Itachi." A soft wind from the window blew, causing a strand of his lose dark hair to flutter about his face. And when his new otouto grasped that strand in little fists and began to coo happily, Itachi knew he had just fallen in love.

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_**In case some of the Japanese bothered you:**_

**Matta ashita: see you tommorrow (shortened from dewa matta ashita)**

**Aniue and Aniki: older brother (respectful a bit archaic)**

**Otouto: younger brother**

**Hahaue: mother (archaic and respectful)**

**Chichue: father (archaic and respectful)**

**Okasan: mother **

**Otosan: father**

**Ojisan: uncle**

**Ojiisan: grandfather**

**Obasan: aunt**

**Obaasan: grandmother**

**Mitsukete yo: (more or less means) I found you!**

**Yakusoku: means promise; also: I promise**

**The song the Iwagakure shinobi sang was a japanese children's song (and game), the translation is:**

**Kagome, Kagome, the bird in the cage,  
when will you come out?  
In the evening of the dawn,  
the crane and turtle slipped.  
Who stands right behind you now?**

_***Squeals* I just loved writing this last part. The rest of it all was so depressing. I actually didn't plan on some of the events that occured in this chapter, but as stories are wont to do, they just happened, the character's personalities forming and leading me on.**_

_**I hope you liked this chapter. For the three of you whom reviewed thanks a bunch! I probably wouldn't have felt so compelled to write if not for the good feelings your reviews gave me!**_

_**Frankly I think I made Itachi's father seem like a right bastard at some points, but I hope you guys did take note that he isn't all bad. His priorities just are a little skewed.**_

_**Anyway much love. REVIEW! Until the next time I feel inspired to write. The next chapter (when I actually write it), should be The Third Stroke: Green. **_

_**-Sacredrosedream**_


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